I came across this Simmons amidst my auction plunder, and I wonder if anybody here has ever had one in working condition and tried it on a car. My guess is that the function of the heating element is to serve as an added complication that provides no benefit. Am I right?

Steve, that heating element came on simmons carbs, and is not a aftermarket add on. I have one myself and it has the same setup. My thoughts are as a straight thru carb it pulls more air and that coil helps the carb from freezing up as I notice this carb has a tendency to do. I love the simmons. It seems to have give more power than the standard NH and is a great carb in my opinion. I have never had mine wired up and always wondered if this helped with the cold starts and the icing problem. As the expert Maybe Uncle Stan chime in.

I'm getting in way over my head, but I have a question. I always thought in order to get the most power it is best to have a cool air/fuel mixture. The idea, I've been told, is that the air and fuel molecules shrink when cold and so you get more in the firing chamber. Wouldn't this item work contrary to that idea?

Even as I write this, I realize flaws in the idea as applied to a Model T, but I thought I'd ask anyhow....

Henry - your right about a cold mix getting more fuel/air into the motor due to the density of the charge, but if the gas doesn't vaporize (stays a liquid) it doesn't go boom when it sees a spark and push the the piston down. A bit of heat helps the gas vaporize - If I remember right some of the older V8s had hot water flow thru the intake manifold to assist in vaporization.

Oh Ya - if a carb freezes up the the amount of charge is lessened because the passage way is smaller due to ice.

I have a hard time believing your carb is developing ice. How would you know? It is normal for a T carb / intake to sweat moisture on the outside of the manifold on humid days.

The Simmons carbs work very well Steve. I have one I use to troubleshoot other people's Model T's when they complain of "carburetor trouble". Nearly every case of "carburetor trouble" has had an electrical solution.

Steve I've seen many, owned several never used one. I'd vote it as a gemmick after market wonder of it's time. Kind'a like the all night shows we have on TV now that sell all the (Great Stuff) It might have been a much needed piece in it's day but my bet would be the ol'T would pulled way more CFM of air than that tiny little wire could heat.

The Simmons carbs were sold through Western Auto IIRC. They are great carb's and are comparable to the straight through NH. I have had several and one of my running T's is equipped with one. It gets good mileage as well.

I have run several Simmons and have always removed the heater wire and sealed up the hole. I have no idea if the heater worked as I have never tried them for obvious reasons. The carb by itself is a good one and brings good prices at swap meets.

Every Morris Minor I ever worked on had one of those heat coils in between the carb and the intake manifold. I was on all the time. On the model T they were said to have been a great help getting the car started in sub-zero weather.

I've got two of them; one Simmons and one Wizard. I also have a Simmons head which I plan to use, but since I've decided to go with a Model B intake and exhaust, I'll probably use a Zenith or Stromberg carb. I would be leary of having a heating coil that close to a fuel source, also.